Founder of Pandora drops in and says hi! Hi Tim!! :)

To my shock/disbelief, the founder of Pandora has left a comment about my post of the Death of Pandora. For those too lazy to click the comments section, here it is:

Thanks for posting on this, Dave. I think it's important for folks to understand that far from 'jumping in to bed' with anyone, we've made this decision in order not to. In the UK we're working on a statutory agreement that will allow us to remain as neutral as we have always been. Pandora never has, and NEVER will, play a song because we've been paid to do it. NEVER.

So very sorry about this. Any webcaster around the world, no matter where they stream 'from', requires direct licenses for EVERY rightsholder, for EVERY song, for EVERY country in which it is streamed. That's the climate in which the kind of fear you have is more likely to come true. Direct deals can have all sorts of strings attached.

We'll keep working as hard as we can to find a solution.

Tim (Founder)

What a hero! How many web founders are dedicated enough to clear up a few things about their websites new decisions, no matter how small the reader base (although Google seems to be picking me up a bit better and my hits are going up daily, those of you who read my blog regularly will always be the hardcore!) and actively seek out anyone commenting on it!

In response to his comments I say this.. great to hear that your not allowing yourselves to get too shafted by the RIAA and anyone associated with their digital "War of Terror" and good luck trying to get a solution suitable for everyone.

Its also good to hear from the horses mouth that you don't contaminate the mix with financial gains in mind. To be honest, I'm sure it would be very tempting with the more commercial artists to set up a reciprocal pay per play deal (like broadcasting radio stations) but thankfully my taste in music is far from commercial and thats one of the things I love about your site (that I don't have to listen to shite).

Hopefully you will do whats right for everyone, not just for the US. In a week where we've seen you guys and Microsoft shutting your digital doors to to world in one form or another, your reassurance goes a little way to restoring my faith that there is going to continue to be a world outside the US.

You have the formula so, so right.. it turns out that Last.FM was just a cheap fling, so it would be a shame to lose you. Although my Biffy Clyro radio station was far better with Last.FM (only because Biffy are a small band from Scotland and they're similar artists can only be found on smaller independent labels), as a whole it just isn't the same. There is no way to tell Last.FM of other bands you want it to mix in, you can't go back to artists you've listened to easily, whether that be to say you loved/hated it or to perhaps buy it, and the interface just isn't friendly at all.

On a personal note to Tim, welcome to my blog and hope you come back soon! If you keep up the good work, i'll keep recommending you to my friends and associates. Oh, and if you ever need an angry Software Engineer willing to travel the globe, with an opinion on everything whose a big fan of music, digital rights and wrongs, and sticking it to the RIAA just give me a call... I need an excuse to get out the UK and would love to come work for you! ;)